Vacation: Middle Earth
by SilvermayWolf
Summary: Sam and Emily are apart of the Australian Defense Force, have served 15 months, were looking forward to going happy, but are sent to Middle Earth. Now they have to help Thorin and company retake their home and hopefully figure out a way to go home in the process. However, dark forces are around every corner and friendships and love hold both girls hearts. Will they make it?
1. Chapter 1

_This FanFiction has been years in the making, so I apologise for any errors that I may miss when I edit it._

 _This fanfiction will cover all 3 movies and will contain lines from the movies and will follow the plot and story line closely, while remaining unique and following the perspective of both sisters._

 _Updates will be slow, so please bare with me.  
_

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 _3rd July 2016: Border of the Green zone, Aphganistan – 1200 noon_

The hot Aphgani sun shone bright and high in the sky, beating relentlessly upon the backs of the villagers and the animals, domestic and livestock alike, giving more warmth than what was comfortable. The villagers ignored us, doing the everyday things, such as the purchase of the necessary food, clothe and livestock. We did our best to stay out of the way of the villagers running to and fro. Though most of the adults moved out of the way when they saw our military uniforms, M4 Carbine assault rifles and 17mm Glock hand guns strapped to our thighs. We weren't here to cause trouble; we were merely passing through on our way to Kabul, from one of the smaller bases, to the southwest of the village that we were now in. Heavy packs rested upon our muscular shoulders, filled with clothes, food, water, ammo for our guns. Oddly enough, a long bow and four dozen arrows were mine.

I turned my head to glance at my sister as a little boy offered her a poppy. Sam smiled sweetly and gladly excepted the flower and thanked the boy before we continued on our way. Turning off the main road, we walked along a smaller road, past fields of poppies just about ready to be harvested. That's probable where the boy got the flower from to give to Sam.

"Hey, Emily. How high do you think someone could get on this much?" Sam smirked at me, her long raven black plat flapping about her head like a flag in the wind as she skipped ahead a little. Obviously thinking that I didn't know what she was referring to, Sam gestured to the poppy flied to our left, "Like seriously. That's a lot of poppies."

"I don't know." I laughed, checking that my long jet black plat was still in its loss coil at the nape of my neck. "Pft. I don't know. It would probably last them a good week or something. I may be a medic, sis, but that doesn't make me a pharmacist. Hey, look at that shop!" I exclaimed, pointing to a shop on Sam's left, opposite the poppy field.

"Which shop? Girl, there is literally three shops." Sam pointed out.

"Which one do you think? The one in the middle, selling antiques." I joked, heading towards said shop.

"So you read Pashto and Dari now?" Sam joked, giving my shoulder a light punch. "That would have been helpful to know last week."

"I don't. There's an English translation under the sign." I pointed out.

"Oh." A light blush dusted Sam's cheeks. I loved to outsmart her in any way I could. Shaking my head, I opened the door to the shop, a bell alerting my entry. Holding the door open for my sister, I glanced down one of the isles, trying to see if the owner of the shop was in.

"Well, now we know where to come for presents." Sam remarked, picking up a diamond crested sword, turning this way and that, clearly checking for authenticity. "Do you thinkIzzy will let me give this to her three-year-old?"

"Uhh, no. She'd kill you with the very blade you sent." Laughing, I strolled down the aisle towards the counter.

"What about this?" Sam asked, pretending to ward off invisible foes with what appears to be a small dagger. Frowning, I approached me sister and disarmed her in one swift movement.

"No. She'd skin you with the blunt end." Shaking my head, I put the blade back with its matching bigger companion. "Since when have you been this childish and me this serious? This place is messing with our personalities."

"Silence! I kill you!" Sam shouted in a fake German accent.

"Now, you're just doing what Mum does." I snorted, amused.

"True."

"This place is pretty cool, though it has a weird vibe to it." I remarked.

"You can say that again."

"Okay, it has a weird vibe to it." I restated, smirking as I looked at a stature of some type of god like figure.

"I didn't mean literally." Sam huffed.

"Okay, just make sure to specify that you are being sarcastic."

"You're so funny." Sam remarked dismissively. Smiling and enjoying taking the micky out of Sam, I walked further into the store.

"Remind me to come here for Christmas shopping. A lot of this stuff looks like it needs some loving." I explained looking at the amount of dust that was collecting on a large number of trinkets.

"How about this guy for Mum?" Sam asked, approaching me with a stuffed screaming monkey in her hands.

"If you want to give her a heart attack, sure go right ahead." Though Sam seemed a little annoyed, the monkey just continued to stare at me. "Go put the little guy back, he must be missing the shelf where you found him and all the dust bunnies that you knocked out of his fur."

"Whatever." Sam pulled a face at me, but procced to put the stuffed monkey back where it came from. I procced down my stall, not really paying much attention to anything in particular. But something small and square court my eye. It was half hidden behind a large stature of Budda and partly covered in cloth. Gently moving Budda and apologising to him, I pulled the square thing from where it hid. The cloth stuck to the back of the case, as that was what it was, and refused to come off. Probably had been glued on by accident or something like that. Placing the case carefully of its end, I moved Budda back into his original position, thanking him for allowing me to grab the case. Sam always found it weird that I talk to and apologised to statures and painting when I touch or move them. It's just I thing I did out of respect.

Picking the case back up, I turned it over to see its face. It held a map within its wooden frame, protected by a pan of glass. Something compelled me to open the case and hold the map, but I stopped myself. I'd have to buy it before I attempted anything like that. Looking around, my eyes hunted for the counter or register, but I didn't recognise this part of the shop. In fact, the shop appeared to have grown in size and held even more trinkets and odd ends than before.

"Sam? You there?" I asked, nerves for some reason.

"Yeah. What's up?" Sam asked, strolling over to me from behind an old suit of armour that looked like it had been worn by a child or a child sized adult.

"Is it just me or does the shop seem to have grown in the last few minutes that we have been here?" Sam glanced around her, then looked at me confused.

"It appears to have, yes," Sam remarked. She spotted the case in my hands and pointed to it. "What's in it?"

"Just an old map. I actually want to take it out, but we are going to have to buy it first." I remarked, handing it over to Sam when she held out her hand to have a look at it. She looked at it before throwing it at the ground, breaking it.

"There. Your map," Sam handed the map to me. "Break it, you buy it."

"But 'I' didn't break it. 'You' did." I pointed out, jabbing a finger in her direction and emphasizing 'I' and 'you'.

"I'm not the one who wanted to open the case to pull out an old map." She had a point. Glaring at her, I looked down at the map in my hands. It didn't feel cold, like paper normally would. It felt warm. It felt alive. I could have sworn it even had a heartbeat. Shacking my head in frustration, I mentally hit myself for thinking such a thing. Paper doesn't have life. It doesn't have a heartbeat or even a history. But why do I feel that it has something to tell me.

"You're being ridicules Emily." I mumbled angrily under my breath. I was being such a child. Sure I use to go on fake treasure hunts with Sam out at our parent's property when we were young, but I'm a grown adult. I'm a solider. I can't go off chasing fairy tales any more.

"Give it here grumpy, before you break it." Sam snorted, taking the map from my hands and with it the heartbeat and warmth. I looked up at Sam and was shocked to see her face contorted in confusion and childish glee.

"What?"

"You were right to have picked this up. It's got something special. I can feel a heartbeat." So I wasn't imagining things. Go figure.

"I see you found the map." A husky voice rasped behind us. We both turned around in shock to find an elderly man standing before us. A European elderly man to be exact. He reminded me of the Father Time for some reason. The man's bread was stork white and reached well below his waist. In fact, it just brushed the ground. His hair was much the same, but the man was bald on the top of his head and his hair was very thin compare too his thick beard. His outfit was a pastel blue, more like a rob than an actually tunic like what the locals wear. The hunch in his back was slight and would appear to have been caused from bending over to do manual labour as a younger man. He also had a walking stick, though it stood taller than him and was carved at the top to resemble something like a waterfall, washing down its length.

"Who are you? Do you own this store?" I asked, approaching the old man. I felt as though the slightest breeze would send the old man to an early grave. I mentally cursed myself for thinking that. It's rude to judge people by their appearance.

"I own this establishment, yes, but not any longer." The man replied, pulled a heavy looking wooden stool carved in the shape of a turtle out from under a rolled up carpet. The man took a seat and waved his hand for us to do the same. I looked around me and found two carved marble stools standing side by side next to me. Grabbing the stool carved to look like a tiger, I put it behind my sister and grabbed the fox for myself to sit on. After taking a seat and removing our packs, we waited patiently for the old to speak, but when he didn't, I took charge.

"What do you mean by you not owning the store anymore? Is your son or grandson taking over?" I asked. The old man chuckled, causing his whole body to shack.

"No, my dears. I have no family," I felt bad for asking and I knew Sam would be sad for the old man. "You two, are the new owners of this store."

"Wait, what?!" Sam exclaimed loudly. The old man didn't seem fazed by Sam's outburst. In fact, he seemed amused by it. By us.

"You must be mistaken, sir. We have never meet before, so it would be near impossible for us to be the new owners of this place." I exclaimed, Sam nodded beside me. The old man sighed and help his hand out for the map.

"Did you feel anything?" He asked after we handed him the map.

"Y-yes." I felt stupid for admitting it, but lying gets you no way. Sam blushed and nodded. Mumbling her yes. The old man smiled and handed the map back to me, which I took unwillingly. I felt uncomfortable under the old man's gaze.

"Both of you hold the map," We did as he said without question. "Hope you two make it back safely."

"What?!" Sam and I exclaimed together, before the world stretched and blurred into a flash of blinding light. I grabbed for my pack, which was surprisingly, still with me. Sam did the same before the map pulled viciously at our arms. That's the moment I think I blacked out.

My head felt like it had been hit with a heavy hammer. Or Thor's hammer. It throbbed and pierced right behind my eyeballs. I didn't dare more. I didn't want to make the pain worse. Not that it could get any worse.

"Emily!" Wincing at the horribly sharp pain that shot through my head. I turned my head to face the direction Sam had whisper-shouted.

"What?" I growled softly. I heard the sound of thick, lush grass being crunched underfoot as Sam obviously moved closer to me. Sam's arm snaked itself under my neck, lifting my head and chest off the ground slightly. I groaned in pain as the pleasantly warm sunlight, that had been warming my body, traveled up my neck and struck my closed eyes.

"Hey, drink this. It'll help with the headache," Sam whispered, placing a cool metal cup against my lips and tipping it back. I drunk the medicine infused water happily. Hoping the painkillers would kick in quickly. "I don't recognize this place. We are in some type of field. There are people, but they are very short and don't look like any type of people I know." Sam mused.

"Show me." I commanded, pilling my eyes open slowly. The sun was bight and glared down on me, forcing me to shut my eyes and lean forward, allowing my slight fringe to protect my eyes. I got up slowly, and looked around at the hillside that we were on. Vibrant, lush greenery surrounded us and stretched as far as the eye could see. Sparrows, Willy Wagtails and many another colorful birds chirped and flow peacefully overhead. The tree that I had been laying under, was tall, lushes and had a thick trunk. A gently breeze blow in from behind us. Bring with it the smell of cooking food, freshly cut grass, wood burning and the sounds of life. Mostly children playing peacefully and parents and neighbors calling to each other over gardens and fences.

Quickly glancing around me, I located my pack. Heaving it onto my shoulders, I walked to the other side of the tree and there stretched out before me, was what appeared to be a village. The people calling to each other and strolling through the small village wouldn't probably reach my hip. Their feet were also peculiar. Bigger than any normal person's, thick tuffs of hair covered the tops of their feet and they strolled around without shoes. Weirder still, they all had pointed ears. Rubbing my eyes, I did a retake and looked closer at all the people, their homes, what they wore, basically the whole landscape before me.

"Am I actually seeing this right now?" I mumbled.

"Yep. I thought the same thing when I first found them. They seem very peaceful and friendly, but I didn't want to go down their without you," Sam explained, standing beside me. "I woke up on the other side of the village. I searched all on that side and couldn't find you. That's when I spotted the map. Flapping about on the tree you were under and knew you must be close. Had to spend a good half hour hidden in some bushes when I was about half way across the field. Some kids were playing close to my hiding spot, but thankfully, their mothers called them in for lunch."

"Sounds like you had fun," I chuckled. Sam pulled a face at me. "Let's have something to eat before we greet the locals." I remarked, walking back to where Sam had found me. Taking off my bag, I sat down, pulled my helmet and parts of my gear off (including my camo shirt) and rolled my shoulders, glad the headache was gone. Sam joined me in the shade and took off her gear. Pulled out our ration packs and started to eat our granola bars.

After finishing our makeshift lunch and downing several mouthfuls of water, Sam and I packed up and set out to observe the locals that Sam had encountered earlier today. Coming to a tree on a hill that over looked the village, we silently agreed that we would approach one of the locals around noon, just so we would seem to be lost travelers.

"Emily!" Sam hissed in my ear, making me jolt awake. I realized with great distaste that our afternoon nap had turned into more of sleep until dinner nap. Crap. We had over slept, meaning that there wasn't going to be any locals out. Unless we were to go to the pub Sam had pointed out to me at least 15 minutes before we decided to have a nap.

"What do we do?" I asked, swinging my pack onto my shoulders, as I had been using it as a pillow and rolled up my thin blanket and put my helmet back on, not bothering with the clips.

"I guess we'll just have to go door knocking." Sam remarked, looking through her night vision goggles at the area around us. Crawling forward, I looked down at the road or path that ran below me. Leaning forward a tad bit more, I realized that there was a door right underneath me.

"Sam!" I hissed, pulling back when I noticed a figure dressed in black, with a sword at his hip, strolling towards us or at least, towards the gate. Sam walked over to me, but soon dropped to the ground when she spotted the man walking our way.

"What do we do?" Sam whispered.

"How should I know?" I shrugged, judging the profile of the guy. Probably wouldn't be too hard to take down with in a fight with weapons, maybe not so much on the melee side, due to his short statue, he would be able to deliver some decent blows to my legs, which would make it hard to get away. How did I know this? Well, lets just say I once got in a fight with a guy who was fairly short and though I could keep him at an arms length, I underestimated his strength and he left me with a good number of bruises when his twin brother came around. Needless to say, I don't underestimate people by how tall or big they are.

"Lets go speak to him." Sam remarked, putting away her goggles and jumping down into the front yard of the person who clearly lives in the hill.

"Sam!" I growled, following her.

"Excuse me?" Sam asked, stepping out of the bushes, startling the guy, whom had drawn his sword.

"We aren't here to harm you," I stepped into the conversation. The guy looked a little jumpy and didn't focus on either of us in particular, holding a defensive stance, two hands on his sword, feet spread wide. Clearly he didn't trust easily. Don't blame him. I wouldn't either if some random people just appeared in front of me wear weird clothing. "We are just a little disorientated and lost. Could you help us please?"

"I'm sorry for startling you, that was not my intention." Sam chimed in, apologizing. We stood in silence, hands out in the open, away from our guns, to show we meant no harm. After a while that guy lowed his sword, but didn't sheath it, taking a more relaxed pose, but was still on alert.

"Thank you. I am a little lost myself, so it would be fine for you to tag a long," The guy remarked, looking over us and our obviously odd appearance. "Where do you hail from?"

"Australia. Though, we were born in Gladstone, but moved to Rockhempton when we were 5. I am Sam and this is my twin sister, Emily. Emily and I are in the Australian Army. We are the second and third infantry women. Us plus the other chick, are the only females in the Australian Army that are in the infantry." Sam explained. "We are from a Scottish family line, which dates back to the seventeenth century where Highlanders were free people trying to protect their homeland of Scotland."

"I am Thorin. Are you of royal blood?" Thorin asked. I glanced at Sam and answered for us.

"We believe so, but haven't really had a chance to go back through the years of family history to fine out." Sam exclaimed.

"I take it that you are royal." I stated, giving him the best bow I could with all my gear and my belt digging into my skin. Thorin tilted his head back in return.

"I am yes. I am Thorin Oakenshield, son of Thráin, son of Thrór, King under the Mountain," Thorin exclaimed, puffing out his chest. We are paused and turned to face the house that was in the hillside as we heard a large amount of noise traversing from that direction. "Looks like I'm in the right place. " Thorin mumbled.

"Lets go let ourselves be known." I remarked walking over to the door, Sam following wordlessly. Thorin walked up, sheathing his sword and reaching up to knock. Swotting his hand away, I knocked for him. "Your a king, you shouldn't have to knock when there are able body people like myself who are capable of knocking." I explained.

"Thank you." Thorin exclaimed before an elderly manwith a grey white beard,which brushed thefloor as he looked at us bent over in the small house, greeted us with a smile.

 _Thank you for reading.  
_


	2. Chapter 2

_Thank you for reading the first chapter! Hope you like the second ^v^_

Thorin was tall for a dwarf, raven black hair, four braids; two in the front and two in the back, dressed in blue clothing that looked like it had seen much traveling. Though his clothes looked worn, the slight smile that he gave the older man indicated that he knew the other and meant Emily and I will be welcomed into the house. I shifted my weight from foot to foot as the older man glanced at my sister and I, a little confused at our appearance or maybe just our presence.

"Gandalf." Thorin inclined his head, stepping through the front door as 'Gandalf' moved back to allow us in, "I thought you said this place would be easy to find. I lost my way, twice. Wouldn't have found it at all, had it not been for that mark on the door." Thorin remarked, removing his cloak.

"Mark?" A small man inquired confused, stepping into view from behind Gandalf."There's no mark on that door. It was painted a week ago!" The small man exclaimed alarmed.

"There is a mark. I put it there myself. Bilbo Baggins, allow me to introduce the leader of our company, Thorin Oakenshield." Gandalf announced, after closing the door. The dwarf in question handed his cloak to Kili, looking at 'Bilbo', the owner of the house. Well, hole in the hill more like.

"So this is the Hobbit you were talking about," Thorin mused with a slight grin crossing his arms, "Tell me Master Baggins have you done much fighting?"

"Pardon me?" Bilbo asked confused. I couldn't help the smile that crept its way across my face.

"Axe or sword? What's you weapon of choice?" Thorin pressed coming to stand in front of Bilbo. Bilbo looked so small compared to Thorin. My bet was that Thorin would win in a fight against Bilbo.

"Well I do have some skill in Conkers, if you must know." Bilbo announced a bit too smugly for his own good, "But I fail to see why that's relevant." Bilbo remarked, trying to stand up taller, taking small steps back, clearly uncomfortable with the close proximity.

"What the hell are conkers?" Emily whisper-asked me. I didn't have a clue, so I simply shrugged.

"No clue." I admitted.

"Thought as much. He looks more like a grocer than a burglar. Would you agree?" Thorin asked turning to face Emily and I, clearly looking for our opinion.

"I would agree yes." I remarked, giving Bilbo a once over.

"Though sometimes brains are better than muscles," Emily mused, "I can always teach him a thing or two about close combat and sword play, so that he wouldn't be too useless. I much prefer a sword, bow, knifes and my fists. Sam prefers using a sword, knifes and fists."

"I wouldn't mind pointing out some defense tactics." I pitched in, though I would much prefer to know how this was relevant.

"And whom might you two be?" Gandalf asked. I felt everyone's eyes on my sister and I. We exchanged a glance, but before either of us could explain who we were, Thorin jumped in.

"They are Samantha and Emily Mackenzie," Thorin pointed to us respectively when he said our names,"They are with me."

"You never said anything about bringing two females along with us." A muscular dwarf remarked, stroking up to Thorin's side. Thorin looked at us, me more so, giving a reassuring smile.

"Perhaps we should move business to the table." Thorin remarked, ignoring the glare that the other dwarf was shooting his way foe ignoring him. Thorin than introduced me to the other dwarves before gesturing for me to go first when Balin indicated that we should all sit down to discuss business. I followed Bilbo as he lead us through his cozy home. I looked around as we walked through several rooms and down a hall and into what appeared to be the dinning room. A long table sat in the middle with chairs for 15 people. Surprisingly, Emily and I didn't have to duck our heads as we walked through after everyone else had taken their respective seats. Gandalf gave Emily and I a funny look when we walked into the room and took up positions either side of Thorin, Emily on his left, me on his right, but he didn't say anything as he placed a bowl of soup and a mug of something alcholic in front of Thorin. Thorin nodded his thanks and started to eat. My stomach rumbled softly at the intriguing smell of the soup, but I bite my lip and swallowed several times, looking at the others around the table.

"What news from the meeting in Ered Luin?" The muscular dwarf from before asked hopefully, "Did they all come?"

"Aye. Envoys from all seven kingdoms." Thorin nodded. The company murmured with interest and joy.

"What do the dwarves of the Iron Hills say. Is Dain with us?" Dwalin asked. Thorin shoot me a glance before he answered.

"They will not come." Disappointed expressions crossed the face of the dwarves in front of me, "They say this quest is ours and ours alone."

"You're going on a quest?" Bilbo piped up. I glanced at the funny little man before turning my attention to Thorin, whom placed his mug back down on the table a little too hard.

"Bilbo, my dear fellow," Gandalf announced turning slightly to face the him, "Let us have a little more light." He paused and pulled out a piece of paper, unfolding it and placing it on the table. I bent over slightly to see the map and gasped. It was the same one that Emily and I had found at the shop. I slipped my hand into the pocket that housed the map and signed in relief when my skin touched the worn paper. Pulling it out I unfolded it, placing it beside the one that Gandalf had put on the table. Gandalf and Thorin exchanged a glance and looked at me.

"We got this from an old guy at a shop where we are from. It was what brought us here." I exclaimed, not reviling too much, as I felt it wasn't necessary.

"Well, it would appear that your paths were meant to cross," Gandalf mussed, before drawing everyone's attention to the map that he had placed down. I removed mine, placing it gently back in my pocket, "Far to the east, over ranges and rivers, beyond woods and wastelands lies a single solitary peak."

"The Lonely Mountain." Bilbo said, looking over Thorin's shoulder to read the map.

"Aye, Oin has read the portents," Gloin pipped up, causing some among the group to groan and shake their heads, "And the portents say it is time."

"Ravens have been seen flying back to the mountain, as it was foretold." Oin explained setting down his ear trumpet to speak, "When the birds of Yore return to Erebor, the reign of the beast will end."

"Uh, what beast?" Bilbo asked, taking a few more steps into the room.

"Well, that would be a reference to Smaug the Terrible, chiefest and greatest calamity of our age," 'Bofur' explained quite relaxed, as smile playing at the corners of his lips. Thorin shifted around in his seat a little as Bofur continued, "Airborne fire-breather, teeth like razors, claws like meethooks, extremely fond of precious metals."

"Yes I know what a dragon is." Bilbo interrupted with a nervous chuckle.

"I'm not afraid! I'm up for it. I'll give him a taste of Dwarvish Iron right up his jacksie!" The more gentler of the dwarves explained with gusto.

"That's the spirit!" Emily cheered from beside me, a laugh erupting from her mouth.

"Sit Down." Dori growled pulling the other back down and scoffing him.

"The task would be difficult enough with an army behind us," Balin announced, "But we number just thirteen and not thirteen of the best. Nor brightest." Balin admitted honestly.

"Hey, who are you calling dim?" Nori demanded angily.

"What did he say?" Oin asked lifting his hearing aid to his ear. Everyone started shouting and the arguments started getting louder as they all lashed out. If this was whole they were going to act than we'd have no chance of even getting within a 100 yards of the mountain.

"We may be few in number, but we're fighters, all of us. To the LAST DWARF!" Fili shouted after slamming his hand on the table to get everyone's attention.

"And you forget, we have a wizard in our company." Kili included with a smile that did not faultier, "Gandalf will have killed hundreds of dragons in his time."

"Oh, well, now, I-I-I wouldn't say that, I..." Gandalf stuttered nervously. I glanced at the 'wizard' questioningly. It wasn't too hard to tell that he had never killed one before, it was in his expression.

"How many then?" Dori asked.

"Uh, What?" Gandalf asked baffled, looking at over at Dori.

"Well, how many dragons have you killed?" Dori asked again. Gandalf didn't say anything and started chocking on his smoke, "Go on, Give us a number!"

Emily patted Gandalf's back as the dwarves jumped to their feet and started arguing with each other over how many dragons the older man had killed in his life time. Not all the dwarves were arguing, thank heavens. Bofur sat back in his chair and watch quietly.

"SHUT UP!"

"SHAZARA!" Thorin and I shouted over the top of each other, but everyone got the message and sat back down. Some gave each other a glare, while Bifur sat with his fist poised to punch someone. Thorin locked eyes with me before addressing the others, "If we have read these signs do you not think others will have read them too? Rumors have begun to spread. The dragon Smaug has not been seen in over sixty years. Eyes look east to the Mountain, assessing, wondering, weighing the risk. Perhaps the vast wealth of our people lies unprotected. Do we sit back while others claim what is rightfully ours? Or do we seize this chance to take back EREBOR? Du Bekar! Du Bekar!"

The others cheered ruthlessly. Clearly, whatever Thorin had said was motivational.

"You forget the front gate is sealed," Balin remarked regretfully, "There is no way into the mountain."

"That my dear Balin, is not entirely true." Gandalf exclaimed with as he produced an old key from one of his pockets.

"How came you by this?" Thorin asked breathless as he looked at the key with wonder. The key didn't look all that special, but from the way Thorin responded, it had some sentimental meaning to him.

"It was given to me by your father. By Thrain, for safekeeping," Gandalf explained holding the key out for Thorin to take, "It is yours now."

Thorin gently took the key from Gandalf, looking it over before tightly grasping it, closing his eyes and bowing his head as if he was being overrun by memories from the past or silently preying.

"If there is a key, there must be a door." Fili announced. Gandalf nodded before pointing to a paragraph of runes on the map.

"These runes speak of a hidden passage to the lower halls." Gandalf exclaim, almost like he had been rehearsing that very phase over and over again. It was almost like everything was scripted and there wasn't any way for Emily or I to have a say in anything.

"There's another way in." Kili exclaimed, grasping his brother's shoulder, grinning like a cat that just caught a mouse.

"Well, if we can find it, but dwarf doors are impossible to find when closed." Gandalf explained with a shrug before leaning forward to look closely at the map, "The answer lies hidden somewhere in this map and I do not have the skill to find it. But there are others in Middle-Earth who can. The task I have in mind will require a great deal of stealth, and no small amount of courage. But if we are careful and clever, I believe that it can be done."

"That's why we need a burglar." Ori announced with realization.

"Hmm, a good one, too. An expert, I'd imagine." Bilbo chimed with a nod.

"And are you?" Gloin asked. Everyone turned to face Bilbo.

"Am I what?" Bilbo asked with surprise. I sensed an ounce of fear and regret in his voice. Fear because of the dragon menchined earlier and regret for letting the dwarves into his house probably. He must have been expecting to be a party, not a meeting before going off to kill a dragon and face whatever dangers lay ahead.

"He said he's an expert!" Oin announced with a chuckle. I pinched the bridge of my nose and closed my eyes as the dwarves started cheering. Emily patted my shoulder, giggling.

"We should have invited these guys to Grandma's birthday. She would have loved it." Emily remarked, a bark of laughter escaping her. I could only roll my eyes and shake my head at my sister. She's such a nut job sometimes.

"M—Me? No, no, no, no, no. I'm not a burglar; I've never stolen a thing in my life." Bilbo exclaimed, hopping to persuade the dwarves that he wasn't the person they needed.

"I'm afraid I have to agree with Mr. Baggins," Balin exclaimed, "He's hardly burglar material."

"Aye, the wild is no place for gentle folk who can neither fight nor fend for themselves." Dwalin agreed looking at Thorin. Thorin nodded his head slightly. The others started talking with one another and started to rise in pitch. We wouldn't get anywhere if they kept this up.

"Enough. If I say Bilbo Baggins is a burglar than a burglar he is," The room felt darker when Gandalf spoke. The dwarves quietened looking at Gandalf, clearly afraid to poke the bear and have it slash out at them, "Hobbits are remarkably light on their feet. In fact, they can pass unseen by most if they choose, and while the dragon is accustomed to the smell of dwarf, the scent of hobbit is all but unknown to him, which gives us a distinct advantage."

"That's a good point," Emily mused, "It'll be like trying to catch a rat who knows the smell of the poison you've used multiple times before. Through in a new poison that the rat has never smelt before and you've got one less rat to deal with." Emily explained. Several dwarves nodded in agreement. Gandalf sat down and looked at Thorin.

"You asked me to find the last member of this company and I have chosen Mr. Baggins. There's a lot more to him that appearance suggest, and he's got a great deal more to offer than any of you know, including himself." Gandalf said. "You must trust me on this one."

"And what of the two ladies?" Dori asked, clearly unsure about what Emily and I were doing here. The others mumbled their agreement, leaning forward to give us a once over.

"Samantha and Emily are not of this world." Gandalf stepped in. My whipped my head to look at him, but he continued before I could ask him what and how he knew, "They are from a different time zone, though I am unsure why or how they got here."

"They come with us." Thorin exclaimed in a rush before anyone could object. I was quick blown away that he would include us when we only met minutes away, "Give him a contract and get the ladies to sign it as well. It'll save us time."

"Please." Bilbo begged, fear iced over the word as Balin stood unfolding what must be the contract.

"Alright we're off." Bofur cheered, a grin bring a youthful appear to his face and a sparkle to his eyes.

"It's just the usual summary of out-of-pocket-expenses, time required, remuneration, funeral arrangements, so forth." Balin announced handing the contract to Thorin who then passed it to Bilbo.

 _Funeral arrangements? Are we really going to fight a dragon?_ Emily joined Blibo as he skimmed through the contract.

"Funeral arrangements?!" Bilbo cried, echoing my thoughts. The contact unfolded right now to the floor as Bilbo walked into the hallway, Emily and I in toe. I could almost smell the fear, horror and anxiety radiating from the hobbit. Ignoring the multiple hands grappling at the contact, I focused my attention to Thorin and Gandlf behind me. My eyes were on the contract, but I wasn't reading it.

"I cannot guarantee his safety." Thorin announced.

"Understood." Gandalf answered.

"Nor will I be responsible for his fate." Thorin finished, his tone grave.

"Agreed." Was the last I heard before Bilbo started to read the contract out loud. I want to hit him, but refrained. He didn't have much in the way of being brave, but I had a feeling that the trip would change that. For better or worse, I didn't know.

"Terms: Cash on delivery, up to, but not exceeding one fourteenth of total profit, if any... seems fair... eh... present company shall not be liable for injuries inflicted by or sustained as a consequence, therefore including, but not limited to, lacerations... eviscerations..." Bilbo read, turning the page slightly before looking over to the company with horrified curiosity, "Incineration?"

"Oh, aye, he'll melt the flesh off your bones in the blink of an eye." Bofur announced with amusement. I watched as Emily and Bilbo paled beside me. Emily gripped my upper arm to steady me as the room spun around me. All that was going through my head was the horrific scene of Private Peters burning to death as a group of terroist slowly tortured him to death trying to get their hands on information that Peters didn't have. What made it worse was that I couldn't do anything to help him. I had been with him when they pinched him and I had foolishly followed without back up, which resulted in his death. It was my fault he had died. I should have radioed for back up. The image of him thrashing and pulling at the bonds that help him as he was set alight, stabbed, cut, punched and kicked until he was dead filled my head and wouldn't go away. I didn't realize I was crying or that I was on the floor until a pair of unfamiliar arms wrapped around me.

"You alright, lass? Lad?" Balin asked concerned.

"Yeah. She is just having flash backs to when her partner was tortured to death. But she'll be fine." Emily said, rubbing my back. I wiped angrily at the tears and looked up at the person holding me gentle. It was Thorin. I ducked my head and exited his embrace. It wasn't that I didn't like it, it was just I didn't want to act weak around him or any of the other males that were in the company. I whipped at the trails that the tears left on my cheeks and looked at Bilbo.

"Uh... yeah... feel a bit faint." Bilbo answered, bending over. He looked ten times more pale than what I felt.

"Think furnace with wings." Bofur announced standing up and moving around to stand next to Thorin in the doorway where he had retreated after letting me go. I could still feel his arms around me, even though I knew they weren't.

"Air... I-I-I... need air." Bilbo stammered, breathless. He was hyperventilating.

"Flash of light, searing pain, then poof!" Bofur explained, animatedly, "Your nothing more than a pile of ash."

Bilbo stood up straight, making an almost duck face while he tried to control his breathing. His breath faltered slightly before he turned to face the company and exclaimed, "Nope." Before he collapsed.

"Oh very helpful, Bofur." Gandalf huffed as Emily picked up an unconscious Bilbo and took followed Gandalf into another room. I bowed my head and headed for the front door, mumbling under my breath that I needed fresh air as a blush pinched at my face.

I stepped outside and took a deep breath in, rejoicing at the sharpness of the cool night breeze that blow softly. Sighing, I took a right and wondered onto a patch of bare, lush grass and lay down. Closing my eyes, I let myself relax as I listened to the sounds of the night. There wasn't much to hear but the sound of the insects and the night based animals that flow overhead or brushed up beside me and freaked out, running for cover encase the thing that they touched would bite them. Letting my body relax and my breathing level out, I didn't notice the passage of time until the sounds of Gandalf and Bilbo talking woke me up. Opening my eyes, I glanced towards the side of the house less than four paces away from me and spotted a window that had been left open. Possibly to let the gentle breeze blow into the house and cool it done because of the amount of bodies inside.

"You've been sitting quietly for far too long. Tell me, when did doilies and your mother's dishes become so important to you?" Gandalf announced with a huff of annoyance as his shadow moved across the window, "I remember a young Hobbit who always was running off in search of elves and the woods, who'd stay out late, come home after dark, trailing mud and twigs and fireflies," I smiled and giggled quietly, watching as actual fireflies flew around the garden beside the house, "A young hobbit who would have liked nothing better than to find out what was beyond the borders of the Shire. The world is not in your books and maps; it's out there."

"I can't just go running off into the blue. I am a Baggins, of Bag End!" Bilbo announced with pride, but under the pride I could hear the hint of longing. The young, adventurous side of him was still there, just suppressed and neglected.

"You are also a Took," Gandalf added. Bilbo scoffed, "Did you know that your Great-great-great-great-uncle, Bullroarer Took, was so large he could ride a real horse?"

"Yes." Bilbo answered.

"Well he could. And in the battle of Green Fields, he charged the goblin ranks. He swung his club so hard it knocked the Goblin King's head clean off, and it sailed a hundred yards through the air and went down a rabbit hole. And thus the battle was won, and the game of golf invented at the same time." Gandalf announced rather casually. I bite my lip and covered my mouth at the thought of golf having been invited my a guy knock someone's head off and having it land in the hole.

 _Crap! That's pretty cool._ I grinned in general amusement at the my imagination played the scene in my head.

"I do believe you made that up." Bilbo announced, a smile in his voice.

"Well, all good stories deserve embellishment," Gandalf admitted honestly, "You'll have a tale or two of your own when you come back."

"Can you promise that I will come back?" Bilbo asked, almost pleadingly. I felt for the guy, I really did. Having so much pressure put on you to do stuff that you have never done, but may have wanted to do when you were younger is a very thought, but if you don't rise to the occasion, you can only ever stay where you are. That's the whole point of branching off from things that you know.

"No," Gandalf answered honestly, "And if you do... you will not be the same." Bilbo laughed softly as a hush fell over them both.

"That's what I thought. Sorry, Gandalf. I can't sign this. You've got the wrong hobbit." I heard the soft sound of someone shuffling away and got up from my position, thinking it was about time that I went back in. I took several towards the window, paused for a moment and leaned forward on the window seal with my arms, pulling back the thin curtain.

"That didn't go very well," I announced. Gandalf looked up at me amused that I had been eavesdropping.

"No. It did not." Gandalf answered with a sigh. I jumped up and squeezed through the window, stepping into the room and taking the seat that Bilbo must have been sitting in.

"You were hopping he'd want to join the group, weren't you? I think you should have gone a little easier and taken a more relaxed approach. You might have brought this all on him too fast, but that's just my thought's on the matter." I offered, placing a comforting hand on Gandalf's shoulder before standing up and walking into the hallway but I hide when I heard Balin and Thorin talking.

"It appears we have lost our Burglar." Balin announced, "Probably for the best. The odds were always against us. After all, what are we? Merchants, miners, tinkers, toy-makers; Hardly the stuff of legend."

"There are few warriors amongst us." Thorin admitted pointed out.

"Old warriors." Balin corrected.

 _You have Emily and I. We are fresh to this world, but we are still soldiers._ I shifted a little in my hiding to get a better view of the two dwarves.

"I will take each and everyone of there dwarves over an army from the Iron Hills. For when I called upon them, they came. Loyalty. Honor. A willing heart. I can ask for no more than that." Thorin exclaimed with conviction.

"You don't have to do this," Balin pleaded, standing up. "You have a choice. You've done honorably by our people. You have built a new life for us in the Blue Mountains. A life of peace and plenty. A life that is worth more than all the gold of Erebor." I was pleasantly surprised to hear something familiar within this world, but I knew Balin's plea was falling on deaf ears. I could see the determination in Thorin's face as he spoke, holding out the key Gandalf had given him.

"From my grandfather to my father, this has come to me. They dreamt of the day when the dwarves of Erebor would reclaim their homeland. There is no choice, Balin. Not for me."

 _There is always a choice, ya ding bat._ I huffed silently.

"Then we are with you laddie," Balin confirmed with pride, clasping a hand on Thorin's forearm in reassurance. "We will see it done."

Looking down at my boot clad feet, I moved to go into the living but stopped when I only heard one set of footsteps leaving. Thorin still stood in his original position, glance off into the distance, probably watch Balin, whom had started a conversation with another dwarf that I couldn't see.

"I know you're there," Startled, I stayed as still as possible, hoping he was talking to someone else and not me. "Please step into the light." Thorin commanded gently. When no one else moved in the empty hallway, I stepped froward as Thorin turned to me, taking a lose stance with my arms behind my back and my head held high. "Why were you listening?"

"I apologize for the intrusion and for eavesdropping on your conversation with Balin. I hadn't planned to do what I did, but instinct took over. However, what you were saying about loyalty, honor and a willing heart, are a big part of my military training and our moto," I explained, a little uneasy at first, but I relaxed the more I spoke. "Sir, you do have a choice and the choices you make affect you and the world around you. Choices can be heard, they can be easy. But no matter the situation, there is always a choice. Sir."

Thorin didn't say anything after I had delivered my mini speak. I could hear the incest outside. In the silence, I came to realize that the others had grown silent, but I didn't dare move. I kept my form neat and tidy, evenly breathing.

"You seem to know a lot." Thorin commented, intrigued.

"I'm in charge of a unit and it is my job to know what I'm talking about and make decisions that will get all my men and women home safely." I exclaimed.

"Why are you helping us?"

"'Never get tired of doing little things for others, sometimes those little things occupy the biggest part of their hearts.' Author unknown." I recited. Thorin looked at me, but didn't speak. Stepping forward, he placed a hand on my shoulder.

"Welcome, sister. To the company. I look forward to winning the fight against the dragon with you." Was all Thorin said before he walked into the living room. I stood, slightly stunned at what just happened. I had expected him to go bat shit crazy for eavesdropping, but he didn't. Though I could see caution and a hint of anger in his body language, he hadn't acted upon it. Stepping backwards, I leaned my back and head against the hard wooden wall. The smell of freshly lit tobacco danced into the hallway, tickling my nostrils. A soft humming filled the warm air, bring goosebumps to my skin.

 _Far over, the misty mountains cold,_

 _To dungeons deep, and caverns old._

 _We must away, ere break of day,_

 _To find our long forgotten gold._

Thorin sung gently. When the pause between the choruses was filled once again with Thorin's voice, I noticed that slowly the rest of the company added their voices until they were all singing as one.

 _The pines were roaring, on the heights,_

 _The wind was moaning, in the night._

 _The fire was red, it's flaming spread._

 _The trees like torches blazed with light._

"Sam."

"Crap!" I squeaked, jumping as my sister appeared beside me out of the blue. Emily giggled softly, gently punching my arm.

"We should go to bed if we are going wake up when the others do," Emily pointed out. Nodding, I followed as my sister lead me outside to where our bedding was lain in the front yard. Laying down, I pulled my blankets over my body, welcoming the familiar warmth they gave. "I spoke to Balin and he told me that we'd be leaving when the sun first kisses the sky."

"How poetic." I mumbled, letting my muscles relax as I closed my eyes and let my mind wonder airily.


End file.
